1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of apparatus and methods for shielding the body from hostile activity, including objects or projectiles fired from a gun or resulting from bomb explosions. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for the automated introduction of a protective, inflatable shield between the impacting force of an object, and the body of the person at which it is directed, purposefully or otherwise.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different approaches to the protection of personnel from life-threatening attacks exist. Examples include bullet-proof glass, concrete and steel building structures, armored cars, bullet-proof jackets, and others. The particular avenue taken depends on whether the person to be protected is stationary, located in a vehicle, located within a building, or is required to maintain mobility outside the confines of any specific stationary structure.
Many law enforcement agencies have the designated task of protecting public figures from terroristic attacks. Most often this protection is achieved through some combination of passive personnel armor (e.g., previously mentioned bullet-proof apparel, etc.), identification and control of potential sniper vantage points, and passive protection such as shields, bullet-proof glass, armor plates, and other devices. Since public figures often desire high visibility and unrestricted access to the public, traditional protective screens and placement of protective personnel in close proximity are often not practical or effective.
What is needed, therefore, is an unobtrusive, reactive device that provides adequate intervening protection between a person and rapidly-approaching, potentially lethal objects. The reactive personnel protection device should be capable of detecting incoming ballistic projectiles or other objects traveling at high speed toward a person, discriminating the presence of the incoming, dangerous object from other airborne particles or objects, activating/deploying a suitable protective device, and reducing or eliminating the risk of impact between the object and the person. Also needed is a method for protecting persons from airborne, dangerous objects resulting from explosions, ballistic activity, and other events. The system and method should make use of readily available materials, should be capable of cost-effective implementation, and should be effective with respect to a wide variety of possible dangerous, destructive airborne objects or particles.
Public officials, military personnel, and civilian leaders are often exposed to a wide range of physical threats. While existing passive protection devices are somewhat effective in detecting destructive events and the impending impact of dangerous objects, each approach has its own limitations. The most likely threats currently encountered are the result of high explosives, detonated within a building or at some short distance from a building, and small arms fire (e.g. an assassination attempt). The invention herein described provides a robust, unobtrusive, and easily installed apparatus which acts to defeat such threats after detonation of a bomb, or discharge of a weapon, etc.
The present invention includes a system and method for reactive personnel protection. The system includes a destructive object detection system, at least one rapidly deployable air bag, and a gas generating system to rapidly deploy the air bag when triggered by detection of the approach of a destructive object in proximity to a selected person or location. The destructive object may be a ballistic projectile, a bomb fragment, or any other type of debris, particle, or non-differentiated object which is traveling at a relatively high rate of speed toward a selected person/location.
The destructive object detection system is preferably radar-based, and may use anti-jamming electronics to detect the presence of incoming dangerous objects in the presence of noise, or non-destructive objects. Such discrimination functions help prevent the occurrence of false alarms.
The rapidly deployable air bag is typically constructed from Kevlar(trademark) or Spectra(trademark) fabric, which can be considered as specific types of woven ballistic fabric, polymeric fabric, such as polyethylene, or aramid fiber fabric. The air bag, deployed in a quasi-instantaneous fashion, acts to prevent the impact of a destructive object upon a person, and often operates by redirecting the object in order to accomplish the objective.
The gas generation system, often housed in the same container holding the air bag, is used to fill and deploy the air bag. Multiple air bags, and/or multiple generators, may also be employed, depending on the system requirements. The air bag may also be deployed over a door opening to a room to protect persons inside the room.
The method of the invention, which operates to reactively protect personnel from the approach of a destructive object by rapid deployment of an air bag prior to arrival of the object at the location of the person or persons to be protected, comprises the steps of: detecting the approach of the destructive object; discriminating the presence of the object with respect to electronic noise, and/or non-destructive objects; activating a gas generation system triggered by discrimination of the destructive object presence; and rapid deployment of the air bag so as to deploy the inflated air bag between the object and the person or persons to be protected. This deployment is in direct response to activation of the gas generation system. The method may include the step of placing or deploying the bag across the door of a room to protect the person or persons inside the room.